When the team over at Inside Line reported on Tuesday that the 2011 InfinitiG Series sedan will be offered with a turbocharged 2.5-liter V6 borrowed from the JDM Skyline 250GT (sold as the Infiniti G on our shores), we were left scratching our heads. Understanding that the car was intended to be an entry-level (and fuel-efficient) competitor to the BMW 328i and Lexus IS250, arming it with a 280-horsepower turbocharged powerplant simply didn't make sense.

With a genuine apology for an erroneous report, IL is now reporting that the turbocharger will be left back in Japan. Sans turbo, the Infiniti G25 will arrive with a normally-aspirated 2.5-liter V6 rated at 210 hp and 195 lb-ft of torque. That's more like it... maybe. According to our tipster, the engine will be rated at 235 hp and 187 lb-ft of torque. Don't memorize those numbers either, because our sources say it's 222 hp and 194 lb-ft of torque. Bottom line: There will be no turbocharged engine under the hood of the upcoming Infiniti G25. Thanks for the tip Dr. J!

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Anonymous

Anonymous

5 Years Ago

I don't think it would affect the Maxima quite that much. They're marketted very differently. The Infiniti commercials are all about the luxury brand marque, whereas the Maxima commercials intend to make people think they're driving a rocketship.

People that want the rocketship will look up from the Maxima 2.5 to the 3.5, not to the G25.People that want luxury and a comfortable ride will look down from the G35 to the G25, not the Maxima 2.5.

It's also a "loss leader" of sorts. Having a cheaper model gets people into the showroom and gives the salespeople a chance to do their job, which is up-sell: "Well, the G25 is a great car, but you said you wanted Navigation. I don't have a G25 with navigation on the lot, but we do have this great G35x with navigation right over here!"

Anonymous

Anonymous

5 Years Ago

The Maxima has been an also-ran option for years now. I've long since thought it should be transitioned to the G platform to get back some of the "4DSC" swagger. Perhaps Nissan could keep the G lineup with the big six and reinvent the Maxima using that car as a basis, though with 370Z styling cues. Make the 2.5L V6 the standard engine in the new Maxima, with the turbo version as a top-level option. And manual transmission options would certainly be a must.

Anonymous

Anonymous

Anonymous

5 Years Ago

With all due respect, Frank, if you honestly think a Chrysler 300 and Dodge Charger look markedly different yet cannot initially tell the difference between a Nissan Murano and an Infiniti FX, then you have no business whatsoever commenting on automobile design. No personal offense intended, but get your ass back to the interior design blogs so you can chime in on the "Pitfalls of Modern Drapery Selection" debate.

Anonymous

Anonymous

5 Years Ago

Frank, you're confusing general family resemblance with actual details in design. Yes, there is similarity between the appearance of an Altima and a G37. They're made by the same manufacturer, so this might be expected. From about 50 yards away most sedans look similar, no big surprise-- customer expectations, safety regulations, road dimensions, etc. dictate the overall shape. I can usually spot the differences between FWD and RWD cars from that distance or more, though, and it usually has to do with the relative location of the front wheels. FWD cars typically have more front hangover, given the orientation of the engine (most commonly transverse these days, with Audis and Subarus being exceptions).

The more significant point, though, isn't whether the cars look similar, it's what's beneath. A VW Type 1 and VW New Beetle look quite similar on a superficial level, but are completely different mechanically. The fact that Infiniti might introduce a more entry-level version of it's RWD sedan is big news to enthusiasts, at least those who value handling over horsepower. If Nissan decided to make the Altima RWD and leave the styling completely unchanged, I'd be interested. Looks be damned, I'm interested in the drive.

Anonymous

Anonymous

5 Years Ago

RowFive,

This whole sub-thread wasn't about driving dynamics. Of course fwd and rwd handle differently. It's about exterior looks. I expect the Ford Fusion and the MK-whatever to have similar proportions AND styling because they are the exact same platform, although the details can be different if the stylists are paying attention. But Nissan has several cars that are on DIFFERENT platforms and drivetrains (fwd/rwd) that look too much the same. It's like the designers quit trying and stayed with something they knew. That's my beef. As for the cars themselves I think they are very good and I would be happy with the Altima or any G. But for the extra coin that Infiniti wants you would think they could try a little harder.

Anonymous

5 Years Ago

mofan,

You are a complete and utter moron. The Altima has nothing to do with the G. Please stop talking about cars and go back to digging in the garbage dump. People like you should not be allowed to procreate.

Anonymous

5 Years Ago

e90fan:

"better than any chrysler POS for sure"

Funny thing is, a 300 and a Charger look very different from each other, whether you're 50 yards away or 10 feet away, and they are EXACTLY the same car underneath. So now we have 2 different platforms, the Altima and the G25 (not the G37) and they look surprisingly alike, especially to non-enthusiasts. I'm sorry, I know you all heart Infiniti, and they make a nice car, but damn, can't they try something different? Good grief, even VW made the Routan much different (and better looking) than Caravan it's based off of. And it's not even their own platform.

Anonymous

Anonymous

5 Years Ago

@ daleam

what ignorant statements you like making. the infiniti is still a nissan, just a more spec'd one. the infiniti brand was created for people like you who would only buy a car because its a "luxury brand."

I wouldnt care if my G37 was a nissan,infact i would embrace it more. you're not buying a logo.

Anonymous

5 Years Ago

"Frank, you're confusing general family resemblance with actual details in design. Yes, there is similarity between the appearance of an Altima and a G37."

Which just confirms what some of us have already said. There should be NO resemblance as they are two completely different brands. It doesn't matter that they are from the same manufacturer. What happens when a Ford looks like a Mercury, or a Chevy looks like a Buick? Even when they aren't even close, the "badge engineering" trolls have a festival. Here is a case where cars of different platforms seem to be obviously made to resemble each other. How lame is that?

Anonymous

5 Years Ago

RowFive,

Sorry to get your knickers in a knot, but that's the way I see it. And we're talking about a Chrysler 300 and Dodge Charger vs an Altima and G25, not a Murano and FX. If you read my post you would have seen that I said a "casual" look at the Murano and FX, not a detailed one. The Chrysler 300 and Dodge Charger look different even to a *casual* observer. The Altima and G25 do not. I like Infinitis and Nissans both but a little more originality wouldn't hurt.

Anonymous

Anonymous

5 Years Ago

They are very close. Look at the shape of the green house, especially from the side view. Almost idetntical. The curve of the back window and the kink of the C pillar is almost the same. The G has more distance between the front tires and front door than the Altima (as it should 'cause it's a rwd) but the rear door is in the same position relative to the rear wheels between both cars. So yeah, the proportions are close.

I used to think that the original Murano and FX were the same vehicle. When someone said I must be blind not to see the difference (were talking a casual look, not an in-depth going over), I went to the websites for Nissan and Infiniti and looked at the specs. Both vehicles were pratically the same in exterior and interior dimensions. Only the weight was significantly different due to the FX being rwd.

Anonymous

5 Years Ago

Frank,I didn't focus on the Altima vs. G argument because it was so ridiculous. And I'm not saying you're not entitled to your opinion, I'm just saying you don't have much discretionary insight on car design. Sedans in general have a certain established proportion about them, and manufacturers (tidbit: Nissan and Infiniti are one and the same!) often imbue a certain family resemblance on cars within their stable.

You're missing the point: Altima is FWD and G37 is RWD. If you've ever driven an automobile you will know the difference between the two. And if you've ever looked at one, chances are you can spot it before you ever fire it up.

Anonymous

I guess the G35 was in the 3500lbs in base formthe G37 added a few lbs

but hte G25 should come in at just under 3500lbs so with 220HP it should be ok to go up against the IS250, definitely not the 328i

but then you ahve a Charger with the 3.5l and 250HP that gets to 60 in about 7 seconds so this should prove to come in at ~6.6 seconds, which is also close to the CTS's time with the non DI engine, it's also better than the 300C's time without the Hemi

I hoped the turbo would come along, but now to replace my G35 I might have to pay the $2k for the G37 adn not downgrade to the G25 - I want to gdire it firs to make that deicision but i'm now 90% sure the G37 will be worth the extra $2k

Anonymous

5 Years Ago

Does anybody remember a time when 220hp was a reasonable amount? When the top level BMW 328i had a mere 193hp? A time when any V6 larger in displacement than 3.0L was considered monstrous? With the most common complaint against the G35/G37 being it's bolts in a coffee can NVH (true or not), why not trade 100hp for a smoother reving, lower cost, better fuel economy option? Plus, if it's got less power, you may find more opportunity to rip off WOT redline upshifts, and that's never a bad thing, is it? Well, excepting it's effect on the aforementioned fuel consumption issue. But still, I only upshift at redline 50% of the time, so the other 50% of the time I'll be reaping the benefits of driving around with a "mere" 220hp.

Anonymous

Anonymous

5 Years Ago

I remember when I first drove my Father's 320hp Mustang Cobra, and it felt fast as hell. Then I remember after driving it around all day and shifting a little below redline 50% of the time - the car didn't breathe very well up around 6800rpm - it didn't feel that fast any more. And I've had the same exprerience with my 170hp SVT Focus. Whenever I get into my car after driving my gf's weezy 120hp Protege, my car feels like a rocket ship. But after a few 7300rpm upshifts- my car breathes and sounds pretty good at redline- it doesn't feel that fast any more. So my point is, it doesn't really matter. As long as you have enough power in your rwd sports sedan to alter the cornering attitude - and based on experience with a 189hp BMW 328i, it doesn't take that much - it's all about about satisfaction and usability. And once we get over this fascination with really big numbers, we can carry on with less powerful but still satisfying vehicles that are optimized for their smaller component requiements and use fewer resources.

I will now return to my regularly scheduled programming of longing cruising the eBays for a Lotus Elise adds and an e30 m3 evo.

Anonymous

5 Years Ago

Wonder how much it'll weigh. If it doesn't loose about 150 lbs at least, it's gonna have a lb/hp ratio of a I4 Sonata SE. Why pay for a supposed luxury/sport car that has all of the power of a family sedan? The new luxury secretary/librarian car for those with a rich spouse.